[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 14306-14307]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1800
                 TURN OUT THE LIGHTS: THE PARTY IS OVER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. McHenry). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, Americans are fed up. They are worn out, burned 
out and pocketed out of taking care of illegals who come here and 
expect a handout and a free ride, and now Americans, they are speaking 
out.
  Recently, taxpayers in Houston forked out over $125 million in 
hospital costs in just 1 year by treating more than 53,000 illegals, 
taking advantage of the system in our hospitals, taking advantage of 
Americans, and really taking advantage of legal immigrants.
  Mr. Speaker, it is morally wrong for illegals to enter this country 
with the expectation that they will live off of others. It is morally 
wrong for them to expect that Americans will pay to take care of them, 
take care of their health costs, their education costs and their social 
services costs.
  But now it is becoming illegal for illegals to get these services 
that even many Americans do not receive. Taxpayers are finding their 
own answers, while some Federal lawmakers in Washington remain deaf to 
their desire because they are too busy dueling over illegal immigration 
doctrines.
  State leaders are stepping in across the country. Just this week in 
Colorado lawmakers took a cue from their citizens by cutting through 
the conflict and passed 11 bipartisan bills, taking a tougher stance on 
illegal entry.

[[Page 14307]]

  Just like Houston, illegals have been drawn to Colorado like moths to 
a flame, and like many States, Colorado has left the porch light on for 
them because they have bad laws that encourage illegal entry such as 
laws that protect employers that hire illegals, providing illegals 
benefits that many Americans do not receive such as unemployment, 
grants and even medical care.
  This may explain why half of Colorado's immigrants are illegal, but 
those days may be over because now State legislators are aiming to flip 
the switch and turn out the lights and turn off the benefits that make 
being illegal so lucrative.
  This week, they passed 11 immigration bills, including making people 
prove that they are legal residents of Colorado in order to receive 
State and Federal benefits. That is a far-reaching requirement which 
will require many of those 1 million people to prove that they are in 
the State legally to receive benefits. Without that proof, they lose 
the benefits that Americans have to pay for because Americans always 
pay, always pay for illegal entry.
  Illegals will lose unemployment checks, grants to pay energy bills 
and even some public medical care, and even applying for these perks 
means a monetary punishment to illegals.
  They are also now busting business owners who, until recently, have 
left their own porch lights on, guiding illegals their way in the name 
of a bigger bottom line. Those businesses who exploit illegals make a 
profit off of cheap labor, but Americans pick up the tab for all social 
services. Now, they are going to lose a grip on that filthy lucre that 
they have gotten.
  Businesses that exploit those already living in the shadows of our 
society, beyond the scope of Federal work and wage regulations, it will 
cost those illicit businesses money in the form of fines if they do not 
keep records proving that they hire only legal residents.
  And while many Americans do not turn out at the polls, it seems some 
illegals find some way to vote in this country, and now it is going to 
be a felony if they do so.
  And while Colorado legislators have been hard at work, they are 
letting the voters make the really tough decisions. They are asking 
them in November on the ballot if they should sue the Federal 
Government for not enforcing Federal immigration laws. Voters will also 
be asked to deny tax benefits to business owners who hire illegals.
  Mr. Speaker, each day my office gets inundated with calls, e-mails 
and faxes of people demanding their voices be heard, demanding we 
secure the borders, demanding that government enforce the law, and 
demanding that government uphold its greatest responsibility, 
protecting the citizens.
  Mr. Speaker, the bills are mounting up. Illegals have run up their 
tab. Now it's time we turn out the lights because, Mr. Speaker, the 
party is over.
  And that's just the way it is

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